Effects of Lime and Compost on Acidic Soil Amelioration and Grain Yield of Maize at Jimma, Southwestern Ethiopia

Maize is the third important cereal crop globally after wheat and rice. Though it is consumed in all regions of Ethiopia, the crop is used as stable food in western and south western part of the country. However, Soil acidity and nutrients depletion are serious limitations in maize productivity improvement.  Now a day, increasing maize production through expansion of cultivable land is no more possible.   Productivity of the crop on less fertile acidic soils can be improved by integrated use of soil amendments like lime, compost as well as farm yard manure and proper fertilizer management. In Ethiopia, integrated approach of soil fertility management is attractive prime importance these days. The objective of this study is to evaluate effects of manure (FYM),compost, and their interactions with lime and inorganic fertilizers on soil properties and maize productivity. The experiment was conducted for consecutive cropping seasons 2010-2013 at Melko Jima Agricultural Research Center,. The Center is found in South Western Ethiopia; in Oromiya National Regional State and located at 7°40'47"N latitude and 36°49'47"E longitude. The mean maximum and minimum temperature of the Center are 26.2 and 11.3°C respectively. The elevation of the Center is 1,753m above sea level and it receives 1,529.5mm average annual Rainfall. The design was RCB design with three replications. Combinations of organic, inorganic fertilizers and lime significantly (P < 0.05) influenced maize grain yield in all cropping seasons. The result also revealed that in the first cropping season, recommended NP gave significantly higher yield than other combinations. On the other hand, recommended NP + recommended lime resulted in significantly higher grain yield than other combinations in 2011 and 2012 cropping seasons. It is shown that application of organic, inorganic fertilizers and lime significantly affected soil properties such as pH, exchangeable acidity, available phosphorus organic carbon content and cation exchange capacity. Accordingly, the use of compost alone, compost and lime significantly improved soil reaction in relation to other combinations. However the use of N and P and its combinations with organic fertilizer and lime did not improve soil pH. This indicates the soil acidity aggravate effect of ammoniac fertilizes. Compost,  together N and P, compost with lime as well as half of compost, lime and recommended N and P significantly lowered exchangeable acidity of the soil. The use of compost alone and as well as compost and lime simultaneously significantly increased available P in soil solution relative to other combinations. It was also observed that application of compost alone and simultaneously with lime improved CEC and organic carbon stack of the soil. Generally, the use of integrated compost, manure , lime and in directly and indirect improving soil chemical and physical properties. provide significant quantities of available nitrogen, P, Mo and B, and more favorable conditions for microbial mediated reactions. Integrate use of lime, organic nutrient sources and inorganic fertilizers are beneficial in improving maize productivity and ameliorating properties of acid soil. Keywords: Compost, Exchangeable acidity, FYM, Lime, P fertilizer, Soil pH DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/12-3-03 Publication date: February 28th 202

The Role of Tomato Products for Human Health (Solanum lycopersicum)- A Review

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is most popular vegetable edible fruit.Tomato plants are dicots and grow as a series of branching stems, with a terminal bud at the tip that does the actual growing. The fruit is rich in lycopene which may have beneficial health effects. Carotenoid lycopene may be involved in cancer prevention, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, and limiting the mortality of other chronic diseases. The main objective of this paper is to review the medicinal role of tomato, in addition its nutritional and economical value. It is a fruit of good nutritive value as it is fairly rich in vitamins, and other minerals like calcium, phosphorus and iron. Considering its low cost, it qualifies for inclusion in the daily diet of young and growing children.. Lycopene has also been shown to improve the skin's ability to protect against harmful UV rays. People use fresh juice extract to stop excessive bleeding from wounds.. The antioxidant function of lycopene-its ability to help protect cells and other structures in the body from oxygen damage-has been linked in human research to the protection of DNA inside of white blood cells. Prevention of heart disease has been shown to be another antioxidant role played by lycopene against a growing list of cancers. A high dietary intake of tomato products significantly reduced total and LDL cholesterol levels. The serum concentration of lycopene was significantly diminished in patients with bronchial asthma as compared with healthy individuals. At the present time, definitive conclusions and recommendations remain controversial. However, ongoing research will continue to provide data regarding these relationships. At the present time, it is reasonable to recommend to the public that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables may contribute to a lower risk of many cancers. The research findings on various aspects of the role of tomato Products for Human Health are reviewed. Keywords: Tomato, Carotenoid, Lycopene, Antioxidant, Prostate cance

Validation of Blended Fertilizer for Maize Production Under Limed Condition of Acid Soil

Maize is one of the important cereal crops in the world’s agricultural economy. In southwestern part of Ethiopian countries farmers have focused mainly on the use and application of N and P fertilizers and totally neglected the application of S and B, which is deficient in soils. For intensive and continuous crop production, these inputs should aim at balanced application of nutrients along with the efforts of maintaining the soil acidity pH at optimum level by liming. Soil acidity is a complex of numerous factors involving nutrient/element deficiencies and toxicities, low activity of beneficial microorganisms and reduced plant root growth that limit nutrient and water uptake...Therefore, objectives of validate blended fertilizer  under limed condition  and importance of lime on nutrient release of acid soil important for improving acid soil productivity. Field experiment was conducted on maize for three concicarive cropping seasons on acid Nitisols of Jima ( Kersa woreda) ,  altitude 1800  meters above sea level. mean annual temperature of the woreda ranges from 17.6-25ºC and the average annual rainfall is about 1300-2000 mm per year. Maize BH661 varieties were used. Split plot design with three replications main plot as lime and un lime, sub plot as blended fertilizer  ( control, NP, NPSB, NPSZnB, MNPSZB and NPSKZnB). Lime requirement based on exchangeable aluminum (Al) of exchangeable acidity of soil, full doses of lime(CaCO3) used kg ha-1 in the 2015 cropping season once. Analysis of variance using SAS  software packages and mean separation was done using LSD at 5% probability leve. Balanced blended fertilize and lime increase yield  significantly in all seasons and  yield difference observed compare to recommended  fertilizer and. no interaction between lime and  blended fertilizer in all seasons.. The result revealed that in first, second and third  cropping season, NPSZnB, NPSB,  NPSB gave significantly highest grain yield of Maize 7295Kg/ha,5439.5kg/ha and 6894kg/ha, respectively. In partial budget analysis   the highest net benefit was obtained from NPSZnB,  NPSB and  the highest marginal rate of  return (MRR) recommended NP treatments applied.. Grain yield was significantly affected by blended fertilizer and  lime. Maximum grain yield was scored for blended fertilizer compare to recommended NP fertilizer. More research needs to be approved out for more seasons to determine the recommended rate of the  balanced blended mineral fertilizer and evaluate the consistence of these result Keywords: Nitosols, Maize, Lime, Blended fertilizer, soil pH, Exchangeable acidity

Application of Lime for Acid Soil Amelioration and Better Soybean Performance in SouthWestern Ethiopia

Soil acidity is one of the major soil chemical constraints which limit agricultural productivity in the mid and highlands of Ethiopia. The study was conducted to evaluate the influence of lime on yield and yield attributes of soybean in acid soil at Metu south western Ethiopia during  2010 to 2013 cropping season. The crop was evaluated in terms of yield and yield components. In this line, splitting into two and applying in two consecutive years as well as splitting of lime into three and applying in three consecutive years gave similar yield with full rate application of lime for soybean. Splitting into four was even gave similar grain yield with splitting lime into two and three.. Result of this experiment revealed that splitting the required amount of lime into 25%, 33%and 50% is possible if  to be grown on this soil. Split application and full rate application gave almost similar soybean yield. However, resource of poor farmer who cannot afford the price of full dose lime can split in to two, three and four and apply every year without significant yield loss for both  compared to one time application of full dose. Soybean grain yield was significantly (P<0.05) affected by the interaction of lime and year at Metu (Hurumu) . The highest grain yield observed on first and third year (2010&2012)  at full dose application of lime.Even though lime level at 1.5* E.A (5.652t) and phosphorus at 46% shows good yield and had consistency across the year, Saied to be the best combination of Lime and P. Maintaining soil healthy is possible for the area because simultaneous and minimum use of lime and Phosphorus fertilizer give similar seed yield with maximum use of lime and Phosphorus on the study area. Phosphorus fixation, which is responsible for low availability of P, is one of the major problems of crop growth in acidic soils such as Nitsols of Metu area. Keywords: Nitosols, Soybean, Lime, soil pH, exchangeable acidit

Inorganic Fertilizers Requirement of Coffee (Coffea arabica L)--) Review

Arabica coffee (coffea Arabica L), is indigenous still grows wild in the forests of south-western Ethiopia, which remains an important source of genetic resources for the world coffee industry. It is one of the stimulating crops widely drunk in the world next to tea , contributes to more than 50-60% of the Ethiopia’s foreign earning and with 44% of all production consumed domestically. In Ethiopia, most soils are exposed to nutrient leaching over a long period resulting in low organic matter content and require careful management to support good crop yields. However, 85% of Ethiopian farmers don’t use organic fertilizers while the rest add it at levels significantly below the recommended rate. The bulk of coffee soils in the south western region are classified at nitosoils, which are highly weathered and originate from volcanic rock. These soils are deep and well drained having a PH of 5-6, and have medium to high contents of most of the essential elements except nitrogen and phosphorous. The importance of proper coffee nutrition cannot be over emphasized because nutrition affects bean size and bean quality, both of which determine the value of the coffee produced. It is worth remembering that for optimum growth and productivity, the coffee plant requires adequate nutrients. Nutrients are applied to replenish those that are lost through tissue formation, yields, leaching and those that form compounds where they cannot be easily extracted by roots. This calls for application of fertilizers so as to apply the necessary nutrients in the required .amounts. When fertilizing coffee trees, two distinct aspects should be considered: The compensation of the actual deficiencies, the necessary inputs to replace depletion caused by the coffee trees themselves and by lixiviation. Fertilization should also provide for the needs of the various microorganisms which play an active part in the quality of the topsoil. Replacing mineral depletion in the topsoil and neutralizing the effects of toxic elements are basic prerequisites to ensure production & Coffee quality in the coffee plantation. Therefore the objective of this paper is to review various investigations of coffee   inorganic nutrient requirement & its influence on growth, yield and quality. A balanced fertilization of all major and minor nutrients will result in two important functions, namely production of good crops and also production of fresh cropping wood frame work for the succeeding year. Coffee plants have high N and K requirements Coffee has a very high demand for nutrients and takes up huge quantities from the soil. It has been estimated that a hectare of fast- growing highly-yielding coffee takes  up an annual total of about 135kg N, 34kg P2O5, and 145kg k2O. Laves need the major part of the uptake - more than the flowers or fruits. The results reported show significant coffee yield increment with increasing level of nitrogen. Significant yield improvement was reported in response to the interaction between nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers. Several studies have been reported that Phosphorus is known to be one of the most recognized limiting factors for coffee production in most soils of south-western Ethiopia..The study indicated that the highest available P content in the soil was found 80 days after application at a distance of 45cm from the trunk and 15cm depth. Results from some trials involving potassium fertilizer also indicate positive crop responses to potassium application. Fertilizer application & recommendation depends on various factors including: type of production system , soil fertility status and soil reaction, type of coffee variety, age of the coffee tree and plant population. Too much & little fertilizer in the plant will reduce cup quality. Younger leaves have higher alkaloid contents than older leaves & statistically similar to the control treatment, omission of K encourages the greatest increase (12%) of caffeine contents in leaves. The nutrient status of most soils is expected to change after a long period, varieties released and new for users might have different response or requirement to mineral nutrition. Therefore, fertilizer recommendations have been carried out should be updated ted Keywords: Coffee, Inorganic fertilizer, N, P , K application

What do dental college clinicians know about oral cancer and its risk factors? An assessment among final year students, interns and faculty members in saudi arabia

The ability of health care professionals to perform oral cancer examination depends partly on their knowledge of the disease and its risk factors. This study aimed to assess and compare the knowledge of final year students, interns and faculty members regarding oral cancer and its risk factors. A 35-item questionnaire about knowledge of oral cancer and its risk factors was distributed among participants from Jazan University?s Dental School. A minimum score of 18 was the cut-off point for an acceptable total score of oral cancer knowledge [OCTS]. Descriptive statistics described the relations between demographics variables and knowledge levels of participants. The differences between OCTS, diagnostic-clinical examination knowledge [DCK] and supportive knowledge [SK] and sex and occupation were analyzed using independent t-test and ANOVAs respectively. A total of 72 students, 68 interns and 88 faculty members completed the questionnaires (N = 228); with an average age of 23.8 ± 0.9 years, 25.1 ± 1.5 years and 40.6 ± 9.1 years with 55.1% males. OCTS was 20.2 ± 3.6 out of 35. No significant difference between OCTS and participants? sex was found (t (203) = 1.342, p = .181, 95% CI for difference -.302 ?? 1.589). No significant differences in OCTS between students, interns and faculty members (F (2, 225) = 2.116, p = .123). A significant difference in SK between final year students, interns, and faculty members was founded (F (2, 194) = 5.62, p = .004). Knowledge of oral cancer and its risk factors among Jazan Dental School?s final year students, interns and faculty members is acceptable. However, due to the high rate of oral cancer in Jazan, emphasizing knowledge of oral cancer and its risk factors in the curriculum of Jazan Dental School is required

FLEXURAL STRENGTHENING OF ONE-WAY CONTINUOUS REINFORCED CONCRETE SLABS WITH CUTOFFS IN SAGGING AND HOGGING REGIONS Jafer Husni

Installation of cutouts in existing reinforced concrete (RC) floor slabs to accommodate utility services reduces the slab load capacity and ductility. This research examines the effectiveness of using near-surface-mounted (NSM) carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) reinforcement to improve the flexural response of continuous RC slabs with cutouts. The study comprised experimental testing and analytical modeling. A total of eleven two-span RC slab strips, 400 x 125 x 3800 mm each, were tested. Test parameters included the location of the cutout, and amount and distribution of the NSM-CFRP reinforcement between the sagging and hogging regions. Installation of a cutout in the sagging region reduced the load capacity and ductility index by 27% and 12%, respectively. When the cutout was installed in the hogging region, a 23% reduction in both load capacity and ductility index was recorded. The NSM-CFRP strengthening fully restored the original load capacity of all deficient specimens, except one specimen with a cutout in the hogging region where only 90% of the original load capacity was restored. The enhancement in load capacity due to strengthening was in the range of 53% to 81% for the specimens with a cutout in the sagging region and 18% to 54% for the specimens with a cutout in the hogging region. The ductility index of the specimens strengthened in the sagging region only was, on average, 16% lower than that of the control specimen, whereas for the specimens strengthened in the hogging region only, the ductility index was almost the same as that of the control slab. For the specimens heavily strengthened in both sagging and hogging regions, the ductility index was on average 40% lower vii than that of the control slab. A maximum moment redistribution ratio of 26% was recorded for the continuous RC slabs strengthened with NSM-CFRP. An analytical model that can predict the load capacity of two-span RC slab strips containing cutouts and strengthened with NSM-CFRP has been introduced. The ratio of the predicted to measured load capacity was in the range of 0.74 to 1.02 with an average of 0.85, standard deviation of 0.09, and coefficient of variation of 10%

Automatic Modulation Recognition for MFSK Using Modified Covariance Method

This paper presents modulation classification method capable of classifyingMFSK digital signals without a priori information using modified covariancemethod. This method using for calculation features for FSK modulationshould have a good properties of sensitive with FSK modulation index andinsensitive with signal to noise ratio SNR variation. The numericalsimulations and investigation of the performance by the support vectorsmachine one against all (SVM-OAA) as a classifier for classifying 6 digitallymodulated signals which gives probability of correction classification up to85.85 at SNR=-15dB